Action for grand pianos



July 29, 1930. F. MOSER ACTION FOR GRANT) PIANOS Filed Aug. 5, 1927 IN VENT OR A TTORNE Y llll ll Patented July 29, 1930 UNITED STATES FELIX MOSER, OF HOLLAND, MICHIGAN ac'rron non GRAND man-s Application filed August 5. 1927. serial No. 210,910.

My invention relates to actions for grand pianos and consists of the new features hereinafter shown, described and claimed.

A grand piano action is a very complicated and delicate mechanism and its manufacture, installment and regulation is necessarily very expensive. This new action is of simple construction, hence inexpensive.

This new action combines utmost simplic- 1'3- ity with greatest efliciency obtainable. The power responsiveness and elasticity of its stroke is remarkable. The repetition is perfect. It possesses a certain liveness not found in other actions. Its regulation and installa- 11: tion are very simple operations.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an action for grand pianos, embodyin the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 s ows ow the action units may be hinged to an 0 action rail in the usual way; Fig. 3 is a view of a section of the action and continuous hinge in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 1, with back check and hammer removed.

Referring to the drawings in detail in Fig. 1, the piano key 1 is mounted on the balance rail 2. The capstan screw 3 is fastened on the key 1. The action part, which transfers the motion of the key 1, to the hammer 4 is a V-shaped, spring-like unit 5, including the 3.3 wippen 6 and repetition lever 7 in one piece. The action is minus the part usual] called the jack. This V-shaped unit 5, per orming the functions of the wippen 6 and repetition lever 7, also acts as the jack. This unit 5, if of wood, is reenforced by a strip of leather 8 or ribbon at its apex. The cushion 9 for receiving the returning hammer 4 is on the upper side of the unit 5. It also holds the usual felted button 10 to reach the capstan screw 3.

The regulation screw 11 in the hammer shank flange 12, which is fastened to the hammer rail 13, causes the unit 5 to stop when the hammer 4 is a certain distance from the string, 14. A felt button 15 is applied to avoid noisy contact. The capstan screw 3 is then regulated according to this contact.

The hammer 4, hitting the string 14 is repelled and the elasticity of the V-shaped unit 5 allows the hammer 4 to be thrown far enough downward to be stopped dead by the back check 16, but the hammer becomes free at the slightest release by the key 1. The only regulation required is by the hammer shank flange regulation screw 11, the capstan screw 3, and the back check 16. The hammer 4 is equipped with the usual felt and leather roll 21 at its regular place affording contact with the unit 5.

The hinge consists of a metal rod 17 or shaft, passing through the V-shaped units 5 of the action as is shown in Fig. 3. The holes 18 in the units 5 may be bushed with bushing cloth 24. Felt, paper or composition washers or disks 19 are used to space the units 5 properly.

The washers 19 are about one inch in diameter filling the spaces in such a way that the unit 5 will travel easily and securely. The metal rod 17 is supported by suitable brackets 25 in their proper places, which brackets are fastened to the key frame 22, and the metal rod 17 besides acting as part of the hinge, also takes the place of the action rail 20.

The V-shaped units 5 may be hinged in the usual way to an action rail 20, as shown in Fig. 2. This process has its advantages but is more expensive. Any suitable flange 23 maiy be used to hinge the unit 5 to the action rai I claim:

1. In an action for grand pianos, a twopronged, V-shaped, forklike unit, having a bushed hole near the junction of the prongs, and a shaft supported by brackets as means of hinging said unit through its bushed hole, the lower prong of said unit being about parallel to the piano key is equipped with means of contact with the capstan screw of the key, the upper prong slanting upward and forward from its apex at an angle of about 20 degrees, having a cushion near its pivotal end to receive the returning hammer, its free end being disposed to engage the hammer shank regulating screw, having means of contact with said screw, said upper prong of the unit being enabled to operate the hammer by its simultaneous motion with the lower prong,

means of contact with the hammershank being provided.

2. In an action for grand ianos, a unit,

resembling a two-pronged, shaped fork, fastened pivotally at its apex to a rail which is supported by brackets, the lower prong of said unit being about parallel with the piano key being equipped with means of contact with the capstan screw of the key, the upper prong slanting upward and forward from the apex of the unit at an angle of about 20 degrees, being equipped with a cushion for the returning hammer, its free end being disposed to engage the hammershank regulating screw, having means of contact with said screw, said upper prong being enabled to operate a hammer by its simultaneous motion with the lower prong, means of contact with the hammershank being provided.

3. In an action for grand pianos, a twopronged, forklike, V shaped unit, including a wippen and a repetition lever, operatively hinged to a rail supported by brackets, the lower prong or wippen being equipped with means to engage the capstan screw 0 the key, the upper prong or repetition lever slanting upward and forward from the apex of the unit at an angle of about twenty degrees having a cushion for the hammer at its pivoted end and means to engage the hammer shank regulating screw at its free end is disposed to operate a hammer by its simultaneous movement with the lower prong, means of contact with the hammer shank being provided.

FELIX MOSER. 

